Vending system and method for contactless vending transactions

Abstract

A vending system is disclosed and claimed. In particular, the disclosed vending machine system allows multiple vendors to sell food items through a vending machine. The vending machine provides multiple locked bins, each of which can authenticate to a single vendor. Also, the vending machine implements price adjustment rules, such as raising the price of a particular item during, before, and after a high traffic event. In addition, customer dietary restrictions can be tracked, and purchases of food items that would violate those dietary restrictions can be prevented. The vending system allows a consumer to perform contactless vending transactions, with the identity of the consumer being verified through biometrics and a camera. Upon verification of the consumer, the vending system transacts payment for selected items, dispenses items in a contactless manner, updates inventory of items, records the purchase history of consumer, and provides indisputable visual media evidence of the transaction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 16 / 853,845, filed Apr. 21, 2020 and entitled NETWORKED FOOD PREPARATION AND VENDING MACHINE, which this application claims benefit of, and which is incorporated herein for all purposes in its entirety.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure relates to vending machines and contactless, networked vending transactions. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a networked food preparation and vending transaction that can adjust prices based on an external calendar of events; and further, allows a consumer to perform contactless vending transactions with a vending system, with the identity of the consumer being compared with stored consumer personal data, and verified through biometrics and visual media by the vending system; whereby, upon verification the vending system transacts payment for the selected items, dispenses the items in a contactles...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]It is an object of the disclosure to provide a vending machine system that allows for efficient and profitable vending of healthy foods.

Problems solved by technology

While vending machines have certainly been successful in marketing impulse products, vending machines have not been able to make the jump to automated food preparation platforms.

In particular, despite the proliferation of IoT capable vending machines, inventory management issues persist.

Inventory management issues can include stocking too much of a particular item, or too little of another, and translate into predictable consequences; i.e., items expiring before being sold, or not having any of a popular item when an important event occurs, such as a school football game, or a large meeting at a company.

In addition, poor inventory management in vending machines has made it impractical for vending machines to serve fresh food, such as vegetables, which typically has a short expiration date, despite refrigeration technologies being available in vending machines for many years.

In addition, prior art vending machines do not have significant food preparation capabilities.

These capabilities are limited—there is no capability for a customer to order a burger or fresh French Fries (for example).

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